Pokowitz Elena L, Prakash Neema, Planaj Dennis, Oprandi Sophia, Deldin Patricia J
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Mar 20;14(3):252. doi: 10.3390/bs14030252.
Mood Lifters (ML) is a dimensional, group-based, peer-led mental health program that has shown efficacy in mitigating psychopathology and promoting wellness within a variety of populations. There is not yet evidence for mechanism(s) driving these changes. Qualitative data exploring the lived experiences of participants may be a unique way to develop hypotheses about the potential mechanisms driving change. The current study used qualitative and quantitative data from the ML for Graduate Students (ML-GS) and Young Adults (ML-YA) studies to generate hypotheses regarding potential mechanisms of changes experienced in ML. Seventy-nine graduate students and fifty-nine non-student young adults provided quantitative and qualitative feedback after participating in a 12-week virtual ML program. Inductive qualitative analysis was conducted within a reflexive thematic framework. Descriptive statistics of quantitative measures were also calculated. Three themes suggest potential directions for future mechanism research on virtual ML programs. Most participants emphasized the social connections built in groups as the most potent and powerful aspects of ML, while others focused on the design or content of the program. Quantitative data presented contextualize the lived experiences of participants. Future ML research should explore the three themes identified within this study through continued qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. NCT05078450.
情绪提升项目（ML）是一个基于群体、由同伴主导的多维度心理健康项目，已证明在减轻多种人群的精神病理学症状和促进健康方面具有成效。目前尚无证据表明驱动这些变化的机制。探索参与者生活经历的定性数据可能是一种独特的方式，用以提出关于驱动变化的潜在机制的假设。本研究使用了来自研究生情绪提升项目（ML-GS）和青年成人情绪提升项目（ML-YA）的定性和定量数据，以生成关于情绪提升项目中所经历变化的潜在机制的假设。79名研究生和59名非学生青年成人在参加了为期12周的虚拟情绪提升项目后，提供了定量和定性反馈。在一个反思性主题框架内进行了归纳定性分析。还计算了定量测量的描述性统计数据。三个主题为未来虚拟情绪提升项目的机制研究指明了潜在方向。大多数参与者强调群体中建立的社会联系是情绪提升项目最有力和最强大的方面，而其他人则关注项目的设计或内容。所呈现的定量数据为参与者的生活经历提供了背景信息。未来的情绪提升项目研究应通过持续收集和分析定性及定量数据，探索本研究中确定的三个主题。临床试验注册号：NCT05078450。
